Women’s World Cup draw: USWNT lands in Group F with Thailand, Chile, Sweden

The United States women’s national team was drawn into Group F with Thailand, Chile and Sweden during the 2019 FIFA World Cup Draw in Paris on Saturday.

Though the tournament opens June 7 in Paris, the U.S. will play its first match June 11 in Reims against Thailand, which is making its second World Cup appearance all-time.

The Americans will play their second group game June 16 against Chile in Paris. The Group F finale comes June 20 in Le Havre against Sweden, which will almost certainly be the must-watch match in the group since Sweden knocked the USWNT out of the 2016 Olympics after a penalty shootout in the quarterfinals. The 2019 World Cup will be the fifth consecutive time the two countries are in the same group. The U.S is 3-1-1 against Sweden in World Cup matches.

All told, the U.S., which is defending its title from four years ago, is a clear favorite to finish first in the group but could experience a stiff challenge from the Swedes. A confident, strong start in the opening matches against Thailand and Chile could be key.

The U.S. has a very favorable travel schedule, beginning the tournament in Reims, a city equidistant between Luxembourg and Paris, which is about 50 miles away and serves as the location for the second game. The Sweden match in Le Havre on June 20 is roughly 50 miles northeast of Paris.

Here are the complete results of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup draw: